LIFE STORY VIDEOS

Tell your life story in a life story video

You tell your stories and share your recollections as we film and later edit your stories into compelling and easy-to-navigate topic-based chapters and films - your life story film.

“The whole video just draws you in - really nicely put together and so many really great touches in the final product - especially the end!” Benita P 2021

I use gentle prompts and questions to help you to recall and share your family stories, treasured memories, thoughts, feelings and recollections, so that your children, grandchildren and future generations can enjoy, cherish and feel pride in their family identity and likely as not, also hear long-forgotten stories.

But, it’s more than that, my storytellers tell me without fail just how enjoyable it is to be listened to, to recall and reflect on memories and to share their life stories in a safe and fun environment. For a storyteller to know that their stories are of real value to their friends and family is hugely comforting and the process of recall hugely validating and life-affirming.

Once completed, the films will be sent to you to download and also on a branded USB stick in a gift box.

Feel free to call 07903582474 or email me alice@thestorykeepers.co.uk or fill in the contact form below with any questions you may have.

Prices and Packages

Our prices are based on the interview length and differ slightly for face-to-face and remote interviews.

The Classic Life Story video

Expertly captured stories and recollections edited into a stunning film for you to cherish and preserve. 

We start with a classic filmed life story interview. The filmed interview is then edited into compelling, easy-to-navigate topic-based chapters and films. Family photos, films or and even additional footage and music can then be incorporated to provide context and colour. 

Once completed, the films will be sent to you on a branded USB stick in a gift box. They can also be downloaded, copied, and shared with friends and family.

Prices start at £795 for a classic two-hour Story Keepers Life Story video interview edited into chapters.

The Classic Life story videos are made face to face, if you are interested in remote filming, do get in touch for a quote, and yes, we do gift vouchers!

“Alice was amazing in preserving my father-in-law’s life story. She was so professional and demonstrated excellent attention to detail during the editing process. Thank you for preserving this story.”

Tim 2022

The big question - how much time will we need?

If you are happy up to now, then the main question (for me) is how many memories, anecdotes, and stories would you like to record! 

Generally speaking, in a two-hour Story Keeping interview we can record or film a lot, we will cover the important topics; the people places, milestones and important memories in our storyteller's life. For storytellers with a particularly good memory, those with family stories or history to share, large families, long careers, particular interests, and big or complicated lives, we often need four hours of interview time.  Of course, we will never capture everything, and every story and storyteller is different.

How it works - The Life Story Video process

Preparation

The first thing I do is to have a conversation or two with our storyteller. I will explain the process and the timings and go through my pre-interview questionnaire in depth to find out about my storyteller's life. This will all help me to get to know my storyteller a little, plan the interview and make sure we get the most out of our time together.

This stage is also really helpful for the storyteller, helping them to start to reflect on their stories and the memories they wish to share, and more importantly, giving confidence that the process will actually be a lot of fun!

It is also, helpful if you can dig out any photographs, pictures, or documents that you might like to incorporate. I will bring a portable scanner with me on the interview day so that we can scan the items without taking them out of your house. We may also use them in the interview, they can sometimes be helpful to jog the memory.

The Story Keepers interview 

The core of all I do is the filmed Story Keepers interview. I use gentle prompts and questions to help storytellers to share their stories and reflect on their memories; the family stories they heard, childhood memories, memories of parents, grandparents and other important people, memories of leaving home, falling in love, of ambitions, challenges they may have faced, careers, hobbies and the list goes on. It is your life your story. I just help you to tell it, in your own words.

I know exactly which questions to ask, how, and when. I know when to prompt and when to pause. I know how to encourage my storytellers to share their thoughts, feelings, reflections, and even values alongside the memories and the stories. Very importantly, it is never rushed.

Face-to-face interviews usually take place at the storyteller's house. We speak for up to two hours at a time, taking pauses or breaks whenever needed. If we are going to speak for more than two hours we'll make a second interview date. 

For remote interviews, we keep each interview session to one hour or less. We will agree on the best platform to use, I prefer to use a video call for both audio and video filming and can either use a platform that is familiar to the storyteller or ideally, but ideally, we will use Zencastr.

After the interview

I now start editing your Life Story video into compelling and easy-to-navigate topic-based chapters and films. I add your family photos, films or and even additional footage and music are incorporated to provide context and colour.  Each chapter is usually around ten minutes long.

Three weeks after your interview(s) you will receive a private link or download to the first edit of your films to review.

Amendments: Within five weeks of the interview (s) we ask you to confirm any edits that you would like.

Approval: Six weeks after the interview you will receive the updated films  for your final approval.

Your Life story video is complete: When you are 100% happy with the vidoes you will receive the links to download your files plus a copy on a USB stick in a Story Keepers gift box.

Please notes times may vary, but if you have a deadline let us know